HACM EDUCATION INITIATIVE WINS 2010 MANDI AWARD

March 19, 2010

LISC Milwaukee awarded HACM's Education Initiative the PNC Bank Trail Blazer Award during the 11th Annual Milwaukee Area Neighborhood Development Innovation (MANDI) Awards on Thursday, March 18, 2010. The award recognized the Education Initiative's impact on school attendance and graduation rates among youth living in HACM's Highland Homes and Scattered Sites homes. Since 2006, no youth have dropped out of school and during the past two years, 100% of high school seniors have graduated. Sixty percent of 2009 graduates have gone on to college. Education Specialist Darrell Finch and three Highland Homes youth - Tydrelle, Trequjaun and Quinton Washington - took to the stage at the Pfister Hotel to receive the award on behalf of the Housing Authority. The PNC Bank Trail Blazer Award recognizes a community development project or program that represents a new approach to an old problem, opens up a path for others to follow, and showcases innovation, creativity, sustainability, and effectiveness in addressing a longstanding community concern. The Crisis Resource Center and the Milwaukee Foreclosure Partnership Initiative were honored as finalists in the category.

Mr. Finch acknowledges Mayor Tom Barrett, Common Council President and HACM Board Chair Willie Hines, Jr., and the HACM Board of Commisioners for their faith in the potential of a program that was untested. "Beginning in 2004 with (Executive Director) Tony Perez's vision that HACM could improve the educational lives of youth living in public housing, the Education Initiative has developed into a successful program model that unites the interests of parents, youth, schools and HACM," said Mr. Finch. His greatest praise goes to the parents and youth who commit to educational achievement. "They inspire me to keep pushing for more," said Finch. "We want each child to build a successful, satisfying life, and the Education Initiative has enabled us to work together towards that goal."

The evening represented accomplishments by two former housing residents -- Mr. Finch, who grew up in HACM's Lapham Park development, and J. Allen Stokes, a former resident of the Hillside Terrace family development. Mr. Stokes was honored with the Northern Trust Navigator Award for his work as Executive Vice President of Inner City Redevelopment Corporation.

The MANDIs were introduced by LISC in 1999 as an effort to acknowledge and promote the accomplishments of the community development industry in Milwaukee. The 2010 award ceremony was presented by US Bank.

HACM Youth & Family Services Manager Maria Rodriguez (left),
Darrell Finch (center) and HACM Secretary Executive-Director
Tony Perez (right) celebrate with the Washington family.

The Washington family


Darrell Finch and J. Allen Stokes

HACM staff with members of the Washington family